Chapter 163

I trailed after Noah as he led me toward Ronan’s office. He was reserved, glancing back at me now and then to make sure I still followed him. He was the least talkative brother, even more so than Jeremy. Trying to get something out of him was like pulling teeth. That, coupled with his complete lack of interest in me, made him my favorite.

He stopped in the hall outside of Ronan’s office. Every day I had to sit and have lunch with the boss, filling him in on everything I did that day in training. What I’d accomplished, and, more often, what I hadn’t. His expression ranged from mild disappointment to sheer annoyance to outright hostility. The fact that I hadn’t been able to access my powers since that first day annoyed him to no end.

I'd been at their compound for almost six months. Six months of training. Six months of waking up in a cold sweat from my nightmares. Six months of struggling to prove myself to no avail. I spent every night staring at the ceiling, trying to come up with some sort of escape plan, but every time something started to form, it fell apart.

I didn’t want to admit it, but I was getting almost used to being here. I was faster now, stronger, a better fighter. The other day, I managed to get both Jeremy and Alyx on their backs. I could shift on command, and I was getting more comfortable with my wolf form. Their methods were brutal, but effective.

I felt the most capable I’d ever felt. The strongest. I couldn’t wait to make them pay for it. They’d turned me into a fighter, and I was going to make life hell for them.

“He’s busy,” one twin said, stopping me before I could enter Ronan’s office. “You need to wait a few minutes.”

I frowned but stepped back.

Alyx climbed the stairs a moment later, followed by Jeremy. There was a light in Alyx’s eyes that had me instantly on edge.

“Celeste,” he said, grinning slightly. “Fancy meeting you here.”

“I’m here every day,” I responded in a dry voice. “At the exact same time. Like clockwork.”

The twins both smiled. Alyx rolled his eyes.

Jeremy’s expression didn’t change. He was cradling his arm to his chest. He followed my gaze, looking down at the mangled skin.

Alyx noticed where I was looking. “Oh, don’t worry about Jeremy. He broke his arm, but it’ll heal.”

“I wasn’t worried,” I answered.

Jeremy almost smiled, the corners of his mouth tipping up.

“We had a bit of a confrontation out in the woods,” Alyx continued. He exchanged a look with Jeremy, who just shrugged. “Came across your boyfriend.”

My entire body tensed, and my heart rate kicked up. I knew they could all hear it, and I hated the satisfied look that crossed Alyx’s face.

“Don’t worry, we didn’t kill him. He actually dropped to his knees and pleaded with me to let you go,” Alyx said. Something cracked open in my chest. “He didn’t look so good. I don’t think the man’s slept in months.”

“What happened?” I growled.

“We got into a bit of a fight,” he said. “I wasn’t about to just give you to him, even though it was a lot of fun seeing him kneeling there in the snow. Poor Matty boy. It was truly pathetic.”

“Loving someone enough to help them isn’t pathetic,” I snapped.

“I didn’t think you cared about him anymore?” Alyx answered.

“What did you do to him?”

His smile widened. “We fought. I clawed him up good. You should have seen the snow stained red with his blood. I’ll never forget how beautiful it was.”

“He got away?” a twin asked, his brow furrowed.

“He got a few good shots in,” Alyx said, nodding to Jeremy’s arm. “We came straight here to report to Ronan.” He pulled the sides of his black jacket away, revealing claw marks across his chest. They were already healing, and he wasn’t bleeding anymore, but they still looked terrible.

“I hope it hurts,” I said.

Before Alyx could respond, Kai opened the door. He scowled at his brothers. “Get in here,” he said. He turned to address me. “We’ll be right back.”

I just nodded, my mind reeling.

~

After lunch, Beck was waiting at the door to escort me back to my room. I’d spent an unbearable hour sitting in tense silence with the Alpha. He was clearly pissed, both at his brothers and at Matt.

Beck grinned at me. “Hey. How was lunch?”

“Fine.”

He nodded, his hair flopping. He was the human equivalent of a puppy. Sort of the wolf equivalent too when I thought about it. He was still so young. It made using him harder, but I had to do it. I couldn’t let Matt sacrifice himself for me. He was going to get himself killed, and I’d rather die than stand by and let that happen.

“Beck,” I started, slowing to a stop. The armed guard from my room was behind me, his gun resting casually in his arms. “I was wondering if we could go for a walk or something? I just need a few minutes.”

He gave me a sympathetic look. “Because of Matt?”

I nodded.

“I’m not supposed to,” he said, eyeing the guard behind me. Beck had the power to give the guard orders, he was ranked above him as a member of the main family, but it could get him in trouble with his brother. I watched the thoughts run through his head as he calculated the risk.

“I won’t try anything,” I said. “Promise.”

He thought for another moment, then held out his arm. “I know a place.”

I twined my arm through his, and he threw me a shy glance. He led me through the house, down twisting halls and across a wide living space I hadn’t seen before. He stopped at the back door and pulled it open. My guard followed close on our heels. When I looked back at him, he had a look of disapproval on his face, but he didn’t comment. It wasn’t his place to.

Beck brought me outside into a narrow courtyard. Frozen plants curled in on themselves in the many garden beds. A few iron tables and chairs were stacked in one corner. A thin layer of snow covered every surface, but more was falling.

I breathed in the crisp winter air, feeling the earth come alive around me.

“It’s nice in the summer,” Beck said with a shrug. “They were my mom’s gardens. At least according to Kai.”

“I’m sorry about your mom,” I said, surprised to find I meant it.

“Thanks. I’m sorry about yours, too.”

I nodded.

I took a step forward, pulling my arm away from Beck. He and the guard watched me carefully but let me walk a few paces forward. There was no way out of the courtyard. A tall concrete wall surrounded the whole thing.

The earth rippled beneath my feet, and I dropped to my knees, planting my hands in the snow. I felt the energy thrumming beneath me, and I pulled it into my hands. My desperation clawed at me, and I used it to help me access my powers. It was the strongest emotion I’d felt in a while, and I leaned into it.

Matt needs me, I chanted in my brain. He needs me.

“What are you doing?” Beck asked, half-curious, half-worried.

I looked over my shoulder at him. He stepped back as my eyes flashed gold. “I’m sorry Beck,” I said. “I wish it didn’t have to be this way.”

The guard raised his gun, his eyes going wide, but it was too late. Energy exploded out of me, roiling through the earth beneath our feet. Around us, the concrete cracked, and the foundations of the house shook. Then everything fell apart.